Vincent Oppong
THE GENERAL Manager of the Presbyterian Health Service in the Brong Ahafo region, Fred Effah Yeboah, has hauled the Dormaa National Youth Employment Coordinator, the Dormaa Municipal Assembly and the Attorney General before a Sunyani High Court in a ¢1bn defamation suit.
The NYEP coordinator, Godfred Kumi Acheaw, is said to have used the official letterhead of the Dormaa Municipal Assembly to write damning letters reporting Mr. Effah Yeboah to the National Coordinator of the NYEP, the top hierarchy of the Presbyterian Church, among other high authorities, accusing him of sabotaging the NYEP programme in the municipality.
Counsel for the Presbyterian Health Service Manager, Nana Obiri Boahen, told DAILY GUIDE that the municipal assembly had been dragged into the lawsuit because they allegedly permitted and encouraged the municipal NYEP Coordinator to make disparaging and defamatory statements about his client.
In the two letters, all dated February 14, 2011 with the heading, ‘Difficulty In Training Health Extension Workers (HEW)’, Mr. Kumi Acheaw said, “The NYEP office finds it difficult to understand the behaviour of Mr. Effah Yeboah….all to fulfil his political ambition as he contested at the primaries (level) on the ticket of the NPP in the Techiman North Constituency in 2008 and has the intension to contest again, come 2012, hence his attempt to sabotage this policy of the government to enhance the chances of his party, the NPP….address this concern of ours to bring the officer to the level where he will see reason with realities and act in line with his profession.”
However, Mr. Effah Yeboah said the allegations levelled against him were not only false and untrue but “malicious, mischievous and has exposed him to public ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right thinking Ghanaians.”
He is therefore seeking general damages of GH¢100, 000 (¢1bn) for defamation and an order compelling the three defendants to render an unqualified apology to him, retracting the contents of the two letters, as well as an order to compel them to write a rejoinder and address all those offices/institutions which received copies of the February 14 letters.
He told DAILY GUIDE that he had never contested any political position in Ghana and that the allegation that he had contested the Techiman North primaries on the ticket of the NPP “is false, misleading, and a wicked lie wilfully made to undermine his integrity.”
Strangely, the said two letters had different signatures signed for the Municipal Chief Executive by the NYEP coordinator, thus raising very serious questions.
In one of the said letters, the General Manager, Dormaa Hospital, was listed as the last addressee while in the second letter, the Director, Social Service of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, was the last addressee.
DAILY GUIDE learnt that the MCE and the NYEP Coordinator were in constant talks with some powerful chiefs in the area to intervene in the case by withdrawing it from the court.
However, Mr. Effah Yeboah said he would let the law take its natural course to ensure justice.
Meanwhile, a 6-member committee instituted by the Presbyterian Church to investigate the allegations has exonerated Mr. Effah Yeboah from any wrong-doing.
From Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Sunyani